WINFRIED Schaefer, head coach of Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz, said he saw many positive signs in his team’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Venezuela in their friendly international inside the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Friday night.

However, he was left ruing the fact that not many Jamaicans turned out at the St James venue to enjoy the victory, as well as witness the improvement his side is making.

“I was happy with the game, but I was not happy with the number of people in the stadium. This was a game against a very good team (Venezuela) and we never had the crowd support,” bemoaned Schaefer.

The Boyz will now turn their attention to tomorrow night’s encounter against Caribbean neighbours Cuba at the same venue at the same time.

Strikers Giles Barnes, on debut, and Darren Mattocks were on target to help Jamaica overturn Gabriel Cichero’s early goal for the visitors.

The victory marks only the second triumph for the Boyz against their South American opponents in six tries, having lost three times.

“In the first 20 minutes, there was a little bit of problem, but we found our match and it was about teamwork, which is very important in football… and two goals from the strikers (only helped),” added the coach.

He added: “I saw the list from Venezuela and they have many players in France, Italy, many of the top European countries; they are a very good team,” he reiterated.

Cichero, playing at left wing back, opened the scoring in the 13th minute, but Barnes wasted no time in pulling his team level with a decent goal two minutes later in an opening period which created some problems for the slick-moving Venezuelans.

With no more goals in the opening period, Mattocks was gifted a glorious opportunity in the opening minutes of the second half, but he could not beat goalkeeper Daniel Vizcarrondo from a tight angle just metres away from the goal.

However, on the hour mark he made amends when central midfielder Je-Vaughn Watson charged a defender on a back pass and forced an error which let in Mattocks to slot the ball home comfortably on this occasion.

“Now our success is not like it was before. It was a good test as I want to test the new players like Barnes, Daniel Gordon. I think both players can help us in the (upcoming) tournaments (Copa America and Gold Cup).

“After the success of the Caribbean Cup, many players call me saying that they want to play, but I have to see the players in their clubs, same like at home. Everybody knows of the big tournaments and they have to work harder at their clubs to get in the Jamaica team,” added Schaefer.

The visitors poured numbers forward in search of an equaliser, but except for one chance later in the game which Jamaican goalkeeper Duwayne Kerr palmed away from close range, the Reggae Boyz appeared the more likely to add to their lead having created a few chances on the counter attack.

Joel Grant failed to tap home at the back post from a neat right-sided move which was the best of the chances at the end.

Schaefer is convinced his team is beginning to take shape as he looks ahead to this summer’s Copa America and CONCACAF Gold Cup, as well as the start of the 2018 World Cup Qualifying series in September.

“South American teams are better than Caribbean teams, that is clear; the style is not the same. They possess the ball a lot, but our team found the match after 20 minutes and they fought hard and they now know what we need for success.

“I am happy about this match because it is the style of South America and I’m not afraid about this tournament (Copa America). I know my players want to play and I saw many good things in this match.

“We cannot play like Venezuela or Argentina; our football is fighting, passing, counter-attack, teamwork, that is what we need, but we analyse our opponents and plan how to oppose them as a group,” Schaefer said.

Teams: Jamaica — Duwayne Kerr, Wes Morgan, Jermaine Taylor (Daniel Gordon 62nd), Kemar Lawrence, Adrian Mariappa, Rodolph Austin (Hugan Gray 79th), Je-Vaughn Watson, Joel McAnuff, Garath McCleary (Romeo Parkes 90th+), Giles Barnes (Dino Williams 85th), Darren Mattocks (Joel Grant 68th).

Booked: None

Subs not used: Peter Harrison, Ricardo Morris, Omar Gordon

Venezuela — Daniel Hernandez, Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, Fernando Amorebieto, Gabriel Cichero, Roberto Rosales (Alexander Gonzalez 83rd), Juan Arango, Tomas Rincon, Franklin Lucena (Alejandro Guerra 46th), Christian Santos (Ronald Vargas 61st), Mario Rondon (Josef Martinez 46th), Jose Rondon (Richard Blanco 83rd).

Booked: Vizcarrondo (82nd)

Subs not used: Alain Baroja, Andris Tunez, Juan Fuenmayor, Cesar Gonzalez, Luis Seijas, Juan Pablo Anor, Arquimides Figueras

Referee: Kimbell Ward (St Kitts & Nevis)

Assistant Referees: Greame Browne, Ike Inniss (St Kitts & Nevis)

Fourth Official: Tristlev Bassue (St Kitts & Nevis)

Match Commissary: Ewan Scott